Where have I seen that quilt before? (9)

The French expression "deja vu" translates to "already seen" and is meant to express the uncanny feeling of recollection. Sometimes people look at the quilts in my collection and think, "Deja vu!" Chances are, they have already seen the quilts...but where? 

This magnificent, late 19th century pieced quilt from Virginia was part of my first book, "New York Beauty, Quilts from the Volckening Collection" -- but where else have we seen it before?

It came from an eBay seller in Virginia in 2004, so if you've got an eagle eye, perhaps you saw it when it was listed. At first, it didn't sell, so I made an offer. "How could anyone pass up such a great quilt?" I wondered.

Quilters Newsletter article (2013)

Modern Patchwork article (2017)

The quilt appeared in more than one magazine article. It was in a Quilters Newsletter feature story in 2013, and last year was part of an article about collecting old quilts in Modern Patchwork. It was also part of a 2012 exhibition-- "American Quilts: The Democratic Art, 1780-2007" at the WhatCom Museum in Bellingham, Washington, and was on the postcard.

The best part about having a quilt collection is sharing the quilts, even if it seems like oversharing. People worry about oversharing in 2018. It's a thing. I never worry about it with old quilts. I want everyone to see them, even if some folks saw them before. The quilts may be old, but it never gets old looking at them.

Where have I seen that quilt before? (8)

Cross Currents Study #3, 1995, by Andrea Balosky

The French expression "deja vu" translates to "already seen" and is meant to express the uncanny feeling of recollection. Sometimes people look at the quilts in my collection and think, "Deja vu!" Chances are, they have already seen the quilts...but where? 

A few years ago I discovered the work of Andrea Balosky. She was very active during the 1990s in the Sisters, Oregon area, and was part of a small quilting group called the Pine Needlers in nearby Camp Sherman. 

Andrea was a rising star in the quilt world. She published a book, "Transitions, Unlocking the Creative Quilter Within" in 1996. This quilt, "Cross Currents Study #3" was on the cover. The quilt and two others from the book are part of my collection.

"Jerry's Garden" 1995, by Andrea Balosky

Cross Currents Study #2, 1994, by Andrea Balosky

Today Andrea lives far away in the Himalayas and rarely makes quilts, but her work continues to be influential. It is well worth discovering, and rediscovering!

The best part about having a quilt collection is sharing the quilts, even if it seems like oversharing. People worry about oversharing in 2018. It's a thing. I never worry about it with old quilts. I want everyone to see them, even if some folks saw them before. The quilts may be old, but it never gets old looking at them.

Where have I seen that quilt before? (7)

Bible Story, 1979, by Lucy Mingo of Gee's Bend, Alabama

The French expression "deja vu" translates to "already seen" and is meant to express the uncanny feeling of recollection. Sometimes people look at the quilts in my collection and think, "Deja vu!" Chances are, they have already seen the quilts...but where? 

When you do a Google search for images of a Gee's Bend quilt, one of the first images to come up is a predominately red, white and blue quilt with yellow and green made by Lucy Mingo. The quilt is part of my collection.

I blogged about it here at Wonkyworld, and as part of the Guest Blogger Series for "Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics" in 2012. Click here to read more about it.

Lucy Mingo is among the most impressive quiltmakers from Gee's Bend, also known as Boykin, Alabama. Her story appears in The Freedom Quilting Bee: Folk Art and the Civil Rights Movement by Nancy Callahan.

Lucy's quilt also appears as part of The Quilts of Gee's Bend entry on Wikipedia. I shared several photos of quilts using the Wikimedia Commons. If you surf through the Wikipedia quilting pages, you may see some of the others.

The best part about having a quilt collection is sharing the quilts, even if it seems like oversharing. People worry about oversharing in 2018. It's a thing. I never worry about it with old quilts. I want everyone to see them, even if some folks saw them before. The quilts may be old, but it never gets old looking at them.